Record rack



ch 3k, 'H. B, PEARsoN 2,278,214

- REGORD' RACK Filed Dec. .1 1941 Herbert-Bra arson I h INVENTORATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 31, 1942 UiTED STATES PATENT orricis ApplicationDecember 1, 1941, Serial No. 421,211

1 Claim.

My invention relates to the orderly disposition of phonograph records;and the objects of my improvement are, first, to provide a rack forsupporting phonograph records in an easily accessible .manner; second,to afford facilities for spacing and shielding with records one from theother so as to eliminate damage thereto; third, to combine the recordprotecting means with record identification to facilitate selection of apredetermined record from a group of records; and, fourth, to provide arack fashioned to facilitate similar racking of records removed to lendaccessibility to a selected record.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of a rack in accordance with myinvention, illustrating two groups of records associated therewith;

Figure 2 is a top plan view;

Figure 3 is an end view with two records and one separator illustratedin section;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of one of the separators; and

Figure 5 is a perspective View of a different form of separator.

In the embodiment selected to illustrate the invention, the base I0carries an upright wall I2, which wall is firmly secured to and balancedon the base by reason of braces I4. To the upright wall I2 is securedtwo record supporting pins I6, each of which parallels the base I 0 inthe same plane and is bent upwardly a small degree at its outer end, asat I8 in Fig. 3. The pins l6 are of small diameter so as to pass freelythrough the central openings in the records 22.

Wall I2 is of such length as to permit the two groups 24 of records 22to be accommodated between the braces I4, and the wall is also suchheight as to provide a large backing area for the two groups of records,with ample spacing between the groups and the base I0.

Fig. 3 illustrates the pins I6 as projecting inwardly of the base I0,with the base of such width as to balance the rack structure with aheavy load of records as well as with a limited number of records on thepins. To aflord protection against scratching of the records, such as isincident to direct contact one with the other, separators 26 are mountedon the pins I'B between the records 22. In Fig. 4, the separator 26illustrated therein is provided with a central opening 28 of suflicientdiameter to freely receive the pins, with the separator contoured in theform of a disc having a record identification tab 30 projecting beyondthe perimeter thereof. All

the separators 26 are identical in construction so that the descriptionof one applies to all.

The separators 26 may comprise light weight material, such as cardboardor other suitable material. Thus the separators protect the faces of therecords from scratching. Record identification, as at 32, may be printedor written on the tabs 30. In use, the record identified by a particulartab 30 may conveniently be positioned in front of its respectiveseparator for the sake of order. Thus an intermediate record may beeasily rendered accessible by removing records and separators in advanceof the record to be selected. In maintaining a given order of placeiment between the records and their respective separators, a large numberof records and separators may be removed from one pin I6 as a group andtransferred onto the other pin when a given record is being selected.Thus the records placed on the other pin will have the same order ofplacement with respect to their separators as the records and separatorsin the enlarged group.

To maintain the identification tabs 30 in convenient and easily readablealignment, a weight 34 may be embedded in the separators diametricallyop osite the tabs 30 to weight the separators so as to support the tabsvertically above the pins. Accordingly, the tabs may be aligned asillustrated in Fig. 1, which grouping facilitates selection and removalof the records.

Fig. 5 illustrates a separator 36 having an opening 38 corresponding tothe opening 28 but 10- cated so as to bring the center of mass of theseparator considerably below the opening. The tab 40 is of considerablelength and merges into the separator substantially in horizontalalignment with the opening 38. Tab 40 is of sufiicient length to extendbeyond the periphery of the record and is considerably lighter in weightand the main portion of the separator located below the opening 38. Thusthe separator of Fig. 5 is shaped to maintain a balanced position on thepins without the aid of a weight, such as that illustrated at 34.

The rack structure is sufficiently large to afford balance and supportfor a relatively large number of records, but it may be moved withconvenience and its contour and structure is suitably designed for thesake of appearance. When the records and the separators are pressedfirmly together and against the wall I2, the parts are balanced firmlyin a compact and orderly arrangement.

Without further elaboration, the foregoing will so fully illustrate myinvention that others may,

each having an opening freely receiving said pin 10 arranged to bealternately positioned between the records, and identification elementson said separators projecting beyond the peripheries of their respectiverecords, said separators being heavier diametrically opposite theiridentification elements to cause the separators to gravitate about theaxis of said pin and position the identification elements uppermost.

HERBERT B. PEARSON.

